Field Day Interference Signal Hunting

2017 W4OVH Field Day

On Saturday night of 2017 Field day,   Gil , KM4OZH ,  and John , KG4NXT,  noticed severe buzzing interference on 80 M phone.

We could only make out a few strong stations. Some of the other operators had noticed it on 20M CW and 20 M phone.  We started to hunt for the interference.  We tried turning off computers one by one.  We turned off the hf rigs one by one.   We turned out the lights one by one. We turned off one generator and then the other.   We still had the interference.

Some one suggested we check the lights in the bathroom which were a good 250 feet away.   Byron, AK4XR, found an electrical panel at the bathroom which controlled the pavilion as well as the bathroom.    One by one, he turned off the circuit and it WAS the men’s bathroom circuit that had the problem.   He shut off that and the interference problem went away.

Byron and Gil operated 80 M phone all night and got over 75 contacts there.   This was the first time that Gil had operated field.

73,

John Heartney

KG4NXT

 

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